Author Archives: Robin Dunn

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) often benefit from changes in diet, including reductions in intake of dietary sodium. In patients with pre-dialysis CKD, reducing dietary sodium intake prevents cardiovascular events and reduces hypertension and proteinuria associated with kidney failure. However, although there are guidelines in place to limit daily intake of sodium, consumption of dietary sodium in patients with ... Read More »

Data from a recent analysis suggest that most of the individuals with Medicare claims for chronic kidney disease (CKD) have reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) or albuminuria. Further, CKD, defined in claims or via measurements of eGFR and albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR), is associated with increased risk for end-stage renal disease and all-cause mortality. Those were among the findings of ... Read More »

In a recent study designed to examine the accuracy and intra-laboratory variation of serum creatinine (Scr) measurements in laboratories in Flanders, the researchers found that large inter-assay differences still exist. The study, conducted by Liesbeth Hoste, and colleagues, also sought to assess the effect of a variation in Scr concentration results on the calculated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and the ... Read More »

There is an independent association between type of medical insurance a patient on peritoneal dialysis has and survival. That was among the findings of a prospective study conducted recently by Zengsi Wang, MD, and colleagues. Study results were reported online in BMC Nephrology [doi:10.1186/s12882-015-0023-7]. There are many factors involved in the association between patient characteristics and clinical outcomes in patients ... Read More »

The association of low to moderate consumption of alcohol with the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) has not been well studied. Previous longitudinal cohort studies examining the effect of alcohol consumption on the development of CKD have found mainly inverse associations; however, Some inconsistency exists. To further study this association, Sarah H. Koning, and colleagues recently analyzed data ... Read More »

Dallas—There was variation in rates of transition to home dialysis therapy (HT) according to various demographic characteristics, according to results of a recent study conducted by Jeffrey Rohay, PhD, MSIS, and colleagues. Study results were reported during a poster session at the NKF Spring Clinical Meetings in a poster titled Predictors of Transitioning to Home. More than 400,000 patients with ... Read More »

Dallas—In patients without diabetes mellitus, those with pre-diabetes, and those with diabetes, both cardiovascular (CV) and all-cause mortality increased with KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) chronic kidney disease (CKD) risk categories. That was among the conclusions of a study conducted recently by Mukoso N. Ozieh, MD, MSCR, and colleagues. The study was designed to assess the relationship between CKD ... Read More »

Dallas—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ changes to a bundling system of reimbursement has created an economic incentive for peritoneal dialysis (PD) in the past few years. However, according to researchers, there is “concern over poor early outcomes during the first 6 months on PD.” Of particular concern are the high rates of switching to hemodialysis, peritonitis, and hospitalization. ... Read More »

Dallas—Increased placement of arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) has lead to increased non-maturing AVF requiring intervention prior to cannulation more frequently than arteriovenous grafts (AVG). That was one of the findings of a study conducted recently by James Harms, MD, and colleagues. Study results were reported during a poster session at the NKF Spring Clinical meetings in a poster titled Impact of ... Read More »